


Baby Steps

by TheWeaponIAmToday



Category: X-Men (Movies), X-Men (Movieverse), X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Romance, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-11
Updated: 2014-04-11
Packaged: 2018-01-19 00:39:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1448857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWeaponIAmToday/pseuds/TheWeaponIAmToday
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I'm not sure this is the best idea, Erik," Charles said softly.<br/>"Just - please let me try."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Baby Steps

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first ever Cherik fic... Just a little oneshot, hope it's okay :)

"I'm not sure this is the best idea, Erik," Charles said softly.

"Just - please let me try," Erik replied, fixing the makeshift metal bands to Charles's shins. Charles sighed but allowed him to continue. After a moment, Erik looked up, a bright, boyish grin on his face.

"Ready?" he asked. Charles didn't want to dampen his spirits, so he nodded.

"Ready." Erik took a deep breath, dramatising the situation more than Charles would have liked, and took Charles's hands in his.

"One," he said, looking expectantly at Charles.

"Two." Charles was reluctant, but all he wanted was to make Erik happy, so he humoured him. He just hoped Erik wouldn't be too disappointed when his plan didn't work; Charles hadn't gotten his hopes up.

"Three." Using only the strength in his arms and the support of Erik's hands, Charles tried to lift himself up from his wheelchair. The first attempt wasn't particularly successful, so Erik moved his hands down to grip Charles at the elbows instead, determined not to fail.

"It's all right, let's try this way," he said, seeing the disheartened look on Charles's face.

"Hold on tight," he added with a reassuring smile. Charles did his best to return it.

The two tried again, and with difficulty, managed to get Charles standing on the step of his wheelchair. His legs were shaky, and he was relying mostly on Erik to keep him up, but they'd done it. The sparkle returned to Erik's eye.

"So far, so good," he said almost breathlessly. "Now..." Erik trailed off, looking down at their feet before returning his eyes to Charles's and leaving his gaze there. "I'm going to need to focus."

"Yes, you are," Charles agreed. "Perhaps take a moment to catch your breath," he suggested, a slight smile spreading across his face. Erik nodded but stayed silent.

"Okay," he whispered after a few moments. "I'm ready." Both of them kept the eye contact, and Erik's face began to appear slightly strained as he used his gift. Charles almost completely lost his balance and would have toppled over if it weren't for Erik's hands gripping him tightly. They were now in a much less comfortable stance, as Charles seemed to have lurched to one side. They both looked down with a sudden rush of hope, and their eyes then immediately flashed back up to each other's. The same childlike, excited grin was plastered on both of their faces.

"It worked," Charles said in disbelief. Erik laughed lightly, not knowing how else to react. He had managed to bring Charles forward a step, his right leg now resting on the carpet instead of his wheelchair. He looked down at Charles's other leg and tried to move it forward, to even their position out. Charles also looked down. Again, Erik succeeded in bringing Charles a step forward. For the first time in a long while, Charles stood at the same height as he had before.

Both speechless, they laughed again. Erik continued, his efforts not quite as difficult as before now that he was getting the hang of it and Charles was on flat ground. While Charles found the sight of his legs moving beneath him somewhat unnerving, as he could neither feel nor control them, he couldn't help but be excited. Erik's joy was reason enough to feel that way.

When Erik had helped Charles take ten steps away from his wheelchair, he stopped. The steps he had taken were smaller than average, but they were so much better than none at all.

"Enough for today?" Erik asked. He was clearly tired from the amount of effort it had taken to help Charles walk just this far, and if Charles's arms were anything to go by, Erik's must have been very sore by then.

"I think so," Charles replied. They stood together, revelling in the moment while they still could, before realising that there weren't very many ways to get Charles back to his wheelchair without him walking back again. Neither had the energy for that. Instead, after a moment of deliberation, Erik swept Charles into his arms, ignoring the shy protests on Charles's part. He set him down not five seconds later, having already reached the chair.

Before the confidence and excitement faded like the blush on Charles's cheeks, Erik leaned down and joined their lips. He chuckled softly at the shocked expression Charles was wearing when he pulled back. It had lasted for only a moment, but it was long enough to know that they had taken another step that day. They were baby steps, but they would make it.


End file.
